Japanese ABC Learning affiliate to close down

A Japanese education provider with ties to the failed childcare operator ABC Learning says it will shut its doors later this week.

123 Learning operates two bilingual education centres in Japan , and another two were being planned.

But the company's website says the centres will shut their doors this Friday, affecting 475 Japanese children under the age of five.

The two new centres have also been scrapped.

The operation is tied to the Brisbane-based 123 Group, which was wound up last month with debts of $136 million.

123 Group was contracted to ABC Learning, which collapsed two months ago with debts of nearly $1.6 billion.